Santa Ana, CA vs Costa Mesa, CA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricSanta Ana, CACosta Mesa, CA
Population312,534110,330
Median Household Income$93,999$111,505
Median Rent$2,082/mo$2,446/mo
Median Home Value$713,000$1,115,100
Cost of Living (US = 100)114114
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income51.8%51.5%
Poverty Rate10.8%9.1%
Unemployment Rate4.1%3.7%
Violent Crime Rate /100k337543
Property Crime Rate /100k1,3282,094
Median AQI5353
Good AQI Days /yr138138
Summer Highs82°F78°F
Winter Lows49°F49°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute24.5 min22.4 min
Hospitals21
Avg Hospital Rating1.5 / 5—
Students per Teacher20.617.1
College Degree Rate18.3%45%
Foreign-Born %41.8%22.3%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+1.6%-2.9%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.